Nancy - S/T CS [2013]

Punk n roll channeling the sort of AM radio sounds that probably inspired the Heartbreakers or the Dictators, or the more rockin' moments of Big Star. None of those name-drops are very accurate in describing Nancy, though. For a style that's been done to death for the past 60+ years, it amazes me that a band could come up with tunes that sink in as deep as these ones do. Really though I don't spend much time thinking about influences or the merits of 'originality' when I'm listening to this, because the songs quickly make that shit irrelevant.  And there are some serious earworms on here -- just try to remove "Midnight" or "Malt Licker" from your head once you've heard 'em. Hands down, this is one of the best releases of 2013.

Listen here, then get yerself a copy from Eat the Life (second pressing is now available!). And keep an eye out for the Nancy 7", comin' at you some time soon.

MC5 - Power Trip [1968-1970]

I was planning on posting a version of this MC5 bootleg when I first started this blog. But since I still haven't gotten around to ripping that record, I might as well give you this CD version. This one is superior because it has more songs on it than the 10" vinyl would allow. Opening with a karaoke version of "Looking at You," the bootleg aims to have you singing the whole way through. Next is a 1968 recording of the 19-minute live jam "I'm Mad Like Eldridge Cleaver's Mad," and well, if you don't know who Eldridge Cleaver is, then go do your goddamn history homework on google. There's one other 10+ minute song on here, the 1970 workout called "Head Sounds (part two)", which resembles a bluesier Can session from around the same time. As always, vocalist Rob Tyner shouts like a madman throughout, but especially on the aforementioned tracks and also on their cover of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign," and the title track. Like almost every bootleg of the Five, there's also of course a version of "Black to Comm," this one from late '69.

Come now, this is essential Five material, and true rock and roll.


Let it come on down babe in the midnight hour

Jeff Beck - Truth [1968]

Happy Venereal Day, everyone, hope none of you got dumped today (that'd be too cliché, wouldn't it?). This is an album that should keep your spirits high regardless of your circumstances.

A lot of people who are (ostensibly) into music don't take Rod Stewart seriously -- and given the embarrassing body of work he produced over the lifetime of the average 35-year-old, why would anyone? Because: the guy was involved in some hot shit in the '60s and early '70s (don't believe me? listen to his first three solo albums and his stuff with the Faces, you ignoramus), including this record. The dude was a pop singer; blues rock is what was popular in the late '60s, so that's what he did -- just like he did shitty disco in the '70s when that was on the radio.

Other 'reputable' personnel onboard here: Jeff Beck on guitar (before his offshoot into self-indulgent fusion wankery) and Ron Wood, most famously of the Rolling Stones on bass. The drummer on here is Mick Waller, probably the least well-known guy in the group, but if you must know, he played in the Faces and on those aforementioned Rod Stewart records.

Anyway, the music: there is a significantly large group of people in the world who will tell you this is the best rock album ever recorded. Jimi Hendrix was into it. This album is great if you like the whole Yardbirds/early Zeppelin thing. 'Shapes of Things' was a Y'birds tune, but this version is better. 'Beck's Bolero' is the closest they get to psychedelic stuff on this album, and while it's not crazily so by anyone's standards, it is still an awesome sort of song. Most of the rest is blues stuff I doubt they wrote, played real well for a bunch of honkies. There is a take of 'You Shook Me' on here, much shorter (better?) than the one on Led Zeppelin I.

Compared to some of the stuff I post on this site, Truth is a lot less 'out there.' But it plays so damn well, and is one of my favorite records ever. I don't know how else to convey its greatness. And it's better than hearing 'Stairway to Heaven' for the quadrillionth fucking time. Ask your dad, kids.

I dunno, this'll probably get DCMA'd pretty quick, but I just wanted to write about it. Get it if you can.

Buy Truth on vinyl [not at all rare, so it's cheap!]
Get it on CD [still pretty cheap!]
I ain't superstitious, but a black cat crossed my trail